Nachrichten

Bilbao, Spain, 24 - 26 April 1996

The city of Bilbao is pleased to announce a major European conference on urban transport, which will take place in Bilbao at the end of April 1996. The conference is supported by Bilbao's partner cities in the JUPITER consortium, the European Commission's Directorate General for Energy (DG VXII), and the European Commission's Directorate General for Transport (DG VII).

JUPITER (Joint Urban Project In Transport Energy Consumption) is an initiative to develop energy efficient transport policies by collaboration between cities in different EU member states. JUPITER-1, which started in 1993 and ends in 1996, includes demonstration projects in the cities of Aalborg (Denmark), Bilbao (Spain), Florence ((Italy), Gent (Belgium), Liverpool (UK) and Patra (Greece). The project is supported by the European Commission through the THERMIE Programme. JUPITER-2 plans to develop and extend the work over the period 1997 to 1999, and will incorporate additional cities including Heidelberg (Germany) and Nantes (France). JUPITER's demonstration projects involve integrated measures covering many different aspects of urban transport, including public transport systems, traffic management and control, parking, and land use policy.

Cities throughout Europe face common problems of increasing pressure on urban space and movement as a result of continued growth in the use of private cars. The consequences of such growth are very familiar and include intolerable levels of traffic congestion, difficulties for public transport users, cyclists and pedestrians, and adverse environmental conditions. At a global level, this process increases the consumption of energy and contributes to global warming. Common solutions to these problems are urgently required for the benefit of all the citizens of Europe.

The aims of the conference are to share experiences between cities and other actors involved in urban transport projects designed to address the above problems, and to consider the needs for the future development of balanced transport policies, by linking two main themes of direct relevance to the transport aspects of the European Union's Fourth Framework Research and Development Programme. The themes are:

_ the implementation of urban transport policies resulting in a more rational use of energy, and

_ the development of efficient inter-modal transport policies and infrastructure in urban areas.

A number of projects are underway in the city of Bilbao which make it an ideal location to host the conference:

_ Bilbao has a strategic vision to transform the cultural and economic life of the city during the next ten years. Innovative transport policies are an essential ingredient in this strategy.

_ As part of its work under the JUPITER initiative, Bilbao has already introduced new city buses fuelled by Compressed Natural Gas, and is making public transport more accessible and easy to use by measures such as new inter-modal interchanges and advanced information systems for travellers.

_ During 1995, the first line of the city's remarkable new metro system was opened.

The conference will be addressed by representatives of the European Commission, Members of the European Parliament, representatives of the Committee of the Regions, and representatives of the city authorities. Technical sessions covering the two main conference themes will present the results of a variety of European city projects, and technical visits to see the Bilbao projects will be organised. The conference languages will be Spanish and English.

The conference will be of interest to all those concerned with the development and implementation of innovative urban transport policies in the cities of Europe, including political representatives and technical experts in European, national, regional and city institutions, representatives of the transport industries, and researchers.

(Source: Conference leaflet)

Further information

Anyone interested in attending the conference, in receiving further details when they are available, is invited to contact one of the following:

Conference Programme Organiser

Transport and Travel Research ltd.
16 Bore Street
Lichfield
Staffordshire, WS13 6LL
United Kingdom
Tel.: +44 (0) 1543 416 416
Fax: +44 (0) 1543 416 681
E-mail: 100664 427Hnb8∂compuserve com
Contact person: Cathy Talbot

Local Organiser

Cef Consulting
Diputacion 10 10
48008 Bilbao
Spain
Tel.: +34 4 416 72 66 /+34 4 416 72 77
Fax: +34 4 416 02 08
E-mail: asemir01Eel1∂sarenet es
Contact person: Fermin Garbayo